Seeder, planter, and fertilizer-distributer.



J. W. AKIN (SE S. ARNBTT. SBEDER, PLANTER, AND FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTER.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 13, 1911.

Patented Dec. 31, 1912.

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J. W. AKIN & S. ARNETT. SBEDER, PLANTER, AND FERTILIZER DISTEIBUTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 13, 1911. 1,049,:3 1 9. Patented Dec. 31, 1912.

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wi lmmao JOHN W. AKIN AND SAMUEL ARNETT, OF MITCHELLVILLE, TENNESSEE.

SEEDER, PLANTER, AND FERTILIZER-DISTBIBUTER Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed May 13, 1911.

Patented Dec. 31,1912.

Serial No. 626,891.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN W. AKIN and SAMUEL AnNn'r'r, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Mitchellville, in the county of Sumner andState of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSeeders, Planters, and Fertilizer-Distributors, of which the followingis a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to seeders, and more particularly to seeders andplanters for general seeds, and has for its object to provide a deviceof this character which will be very durable and efficient.

Another object of this invention is to provide means whereby the seedswill be automatically planted in the ground in regular intervals and inthe quantities desired.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the seedscan be fed in suitable quantities to the feed spout and at the same timebe prevented from sticking in the hopper.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means whereby aplurality of different kinds of seeds may be fed to the furrow in closeproximity with one another.

Another object of this invention is to au-' tomatically open the furrowfor the seeds, and cover said furrow after the seeds have been droppedtherein.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as it is more fullyset forth. It is well known in seeders, the difliculty that isexperienced in feeding different kinds of seeds to the same furrow,first because mixing them together will not produce this result, andsecond because of the different sizes of the seeds raising furtherobstacles to the desired result.

In this invention a hopper is provided, which has a plurality ofcompartments and feeding spouts, both being arranged independently ofone another, and made suitable for the seeds and work they are to do.

The desirability of having two different kinds of seeds fed in closeproximity to one another is well known to farmers, because of thebenefieent action derived in many instances from a proper mixture ofseeds, for instance, peas may be planted with corn, that the peas mayclimb up the stalk of the corn as it grows, and also because of theillustrate by way of example an embodiment of this invention, Figure 1represents a side elevation of the seeder embodying this invention; Fig.2 is a plan View of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig.1; Fig. 4: is a sectional view taken along the line 4.4 of Fig. 1; andFig. 5 is a detail of a seeder slide.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout thedrawings.

In the construction shown in the drawings, 1 represents the main framework of a seeder and planter which has mounted on the front end of it ajournal or bearing 2, arranged to receive and hold a wheel 3. The wheel3 is provided with a crank t to which is secured a pitman or connectingrod 5, that actuates the slide 6 which serves to permit seeds to flowthrough a hopper compartment 7 to a spout 8, and thence to the ground.The hopper compartment 7 is suitably mounted on the frame 1 and hasadjacent to it a similar hopper compartment 9' arranged for other seedsof a differentkind from that held in the compartment 7 The bottoms ofthese hopper compartments are provided with slots 7 and 9 in which theslide 6 and a slide 10 move respectively. The-slide 10 is also attachedto the connecting rod 5 and is actuated thereby at the same time and inthe same direction as that given to the slide 6. Said slide 6 has seedopenings 13. A bridge piece 11 is mounted on the bottom of the hopper inthe compartment 7 and extends transversely over the slide 6. A sweep 12is secured to the under side of the bridge and its downturned ends bearon the upper side of the slide. The bridge and sweep co-act as guidesfor the slide and to keep the latter in place in the groove 7 in whichthe slide is seated and operates,the bridge and sweep also co-acting tocover-the upper end of the spout 8 and to prevent superfluous seeds fromgetting in the seed openings 13, thereby regulating the quantity ofseeds which are dropped by the slide at each endwise movement ofthelatter, As the slide reciprocates the seed holes 13 are disposed overthe spout 8 and permits the seeds to fall therethrough to the soil. Thecompartment 9 is verysimilar, except that it is shown in this case arranged'for a much smaller size seed, and is provided with a slide 10 ofa blade shape and is provided on the bottom edge with a number ofV-shaped slots 14. 15 is a suitable guide for this slide 10, and 16 isguide bearing which is arranged to hold the upper end of the pitman rod5 in engagement with the slides 6 and 10, and is provided with a catchpin 17 which can be lifted to permit the bearing 16 to be movedlaterally out of engagement with the slides, that is, means are providedwhereby the pitman rod can be disconnected'from actuating the mechanismwhich permits the seeds to flow to the soil.

Mounted on the under side of the compartment 9 is a valve 18, which isarranged to control the hole 19 which is in the bottom of thecompartment, and through'which the seeds fall as they flow to the spout20 which feeds the seeds from this compartment. This valve 18 isprovided with a slot 21 and is supported on a plate piece 22, secured toa pair of the guide arms or handles 23 of the seeder.

24 is any suitable device for clamping the valve 18 to the plate 22 andis disposed through the slot 21 in order that the same may be adjustedin various positions. By adjusting this valve the size of the hole 19 iscontrolled so that various sized seeds can be permitted to flowtherethrough to the feeding spout, also the quantity of seeds that flowthrough this hole can be controlled.

Mounted on the front and lower portion of the arms or handles 23 is ashovel 25 which is arranged to open a furrow as the seeder travels alongthe ground and is suitably supported by a standard 26 and with a brace27 and held by a bolt 28 securely in position, as clearly shown in thedrawings.

Mounted on the rear portion of the frame 1 and behind the feeding spoutsare the coverers 29, which move the dirt over the seeds as the seedertravels over them.

30 is a suitable brace disposed between the upper portions of the arms23 in order to strengthen them and keep them a suitable distance apart.7

31 is a guide-way in which the valve 18 is reciprocated and 32 is acover arranged to close the upper portion of the compartments 7 and 9.This cover is held in position in any suitable manner and locked by aspring catch 33.

In operation one size or class of seeds is poured into the compartment 7and another class of seeds into the compartment 9 and the cover 32 isshut down on the same. The seeder, having been taken to the place ofplanting, the pitman rod is connected with the slides 6 and 10 and thussecured by positioning of the bearing 16. As the device have justfallen, thereby putting them in a which the seeds tend to fall andbeguided respective compartments intermittently 'throughthe holes in theslide 6, and to the spouts 8 and 20, and from thence into the furrowopened by the shovel while the coverers 29 draw the soil over the seedsthat position to germinate. Referring particularly to the compartment 9in which the slide plate 10 reciprocates it will be noticed that it hasa somewhat V-shaped groove into to the middle portion of it. As theseeds fall into the V-shaped slot they will be taken by the plates andbe pulled over the samein the bottom of this compartment, and thencedropped into the spout 20 disposed underneath where they are joinedwith'the seeds that are flowing from the other compartment, and therebybe planted together.

The particular advantages of this device are, that it is adjustable, itsaction is positive, and its parts are easily accessible for inspectionand repair, it can feed one or more kinds of seeds at the same time, itcan feed various sizes of seeds to the same furrow, and its parts arecomparatively few and particularly suitable for this class of work, atthe same time the general cost of manufacture of this machine iscomparatively low.

While the invention has been described as a double seeder, it is alsoparticularly intended to be used as a fertilizer and seeder at the sametime, in which case compart ment 9 would be used for the fertilizer, theslide 10 being particularly suitable for put- V105 ting the fertilizerinto the spout 20. In this case also the slide 6 in the compartment 7can be disconnected, should it be desired to stop the flow of seedstherefrom. By using a fertilizer feed in connection with 110 the seeder,it is possible to make a great saving in the amount used, and at the'same time save the incidental time which would be required if thefertilizer was put on separately.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1. In a seeder, the combination of a frame, a hopper carried thereby andhaving a plurality of compartments, independently 120 -mounted slidescontrolling the discharge ing the pitman rod against lateraldisplacement, whereby the offset arm of the pitman rod can be attachedto either or both of the slides and thus maintained to discharge one ormore kinds of seeds severally.

2. In a seeder, the combination of a frame and hopper having a pluralityof compart- Inents independent slides controlling the discharge from therespective compartments and having alined transverse apertures formed inthe extremities thereof, a reciprocatory member, the inner end thereofbeing bent at right angles theretoand adapted to enter the alinedapertures to detachably couple the slides, means to drive thereciprocatory member, a guide bearing supporting the inner end thereof,means for laterally adjusting said guide bearing whereby either orbot-l1 of the slides 'may be actuated substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we hereunto affiX our signatures in the presence oftwo witnesses.

JOHN W. AKIN. SAMUEL ARNETT.

Witnesses:

J. T. MONEILL, M. J. MOCOMB.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

